Alzheimer’s Disease and its progression are described by doctors and medical researchers through stages, and symptoms that can occur in each stage. Alzheimer patients are categorized by their level of cognitive and functional impairment – mild, moderate, severe, and profound. This outline describes the stages and possible symptoms:
Mild
Forgetfulness
Difficulty with complex math problems, such as balancing the checkbook, doing taxes
Inability to plan and execute a complex series of actions, such as that required to prepare a three-course meal
Inability to stick to a complex schedule, such as that required by certain prescriptions, 2 tablets 3 times a day
Confusion or disorientation about time, date or place, wandering toward a specific goal, such as a friend’s house that, results in getting lost
Moderate
More pronounced memory problems that may interfere with normal daily activities
Difficulty with simple food preparation, such as brewing a cup of tea or coffee
Inability to perform routine household chores and yard work
Decline in personal hygiene, possibly requiring reminders or assistance to use the bathroom, shave, fasten clothing correctly, and choose appropriate clothing
Increased wandering behavior that’s not goal-directed, getting lost
Agitation, pacing, increased irritability more likely
Confusion that often becomes worse in evening
The following symptoms can occur in both the moderate and severe stages, and may become more noticeable as the patient enters the severe stage.
Increased irritability and agitation, verbal and physical aggression
Symptoms of psychosis, including delusions, paranoia, and hallucinations
Severe
Need for extensive assistance with personal care, including eating, hygiene, grooming and toileting
Increased irritability and agitation, verbal and physical aggression
Symptoms of psychosis, including delusions, paranoia, and hallucinations
Unsteadiness and reduced ability to walk
Incontinence
Disorientation
Profound
Complete lack of awareness of surroundings
Total dependence on caregivers for feeding, hygiene, and everything else
When AD patients reach what’s known as the terminal stage of the disease, they may become bedridden and will certainly require around-the-clock care. At this stage, many Alzheimer’s patients succumb to opportunistic infections, such as pneumonia.
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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/alzheimers-disease-stages.html
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